This invention relates to compounds having fungicidal activity, their preparation, and intermediates for their preparation.
In a first aspect the invention provides the use of compounds of formula I and salts thereof as phytopathogenic fungicides 
wherein
A1 is substituted 2-pyridyl;
A2 is optionally substituted phenyl;
L is xe2x80x94(Cxe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94(Cxe2x95x90S)xe2x80x94;
R1 is hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl or acyl; and
R2 is hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl.
The 2-pyridyl group (A1) can have up to four substituents, preferably up to two, which may be the same or different to each other. Preferably, the substituents are on the 3 and/or 5 position of the 2-pyridyl group.
Preferred substituents on the 2-pyridyl group (A1) are halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, SF5, trialkylsilyl, optionally substituted amino, acyl, or a group E, OE or SE, where E is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, phenyl or heterocyclyl, each of which is optionally substituted, or a group xe2x80x94C(E)xe2x95x90N-Q, where a is E, OE, SE or optionally substituted amino; or two adjacent substituents together with the atoms to which they are attached form an optionally substituted ring which can contain up to 3 hetero atoms. Especially preferred substituents are alkoxy, alkyl, cyano, halogen, nitro, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl and trifluoromethyl, particularly chlorine and trifluoromethyl.
The phenyl group, A2, may have up to five substituents, preferably up to 3, especially up to two, which may be the same or different to each other. Preferred substituents are the same as those defined for A1 above. Particularly preferred substituents are alkoxy, alkyl, halogen, nitro or trifluoromethyl.
Preferably the linking group L is xe2x80x94(Cxe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94.
R1 is preferably hydrogen. When it is not hydrogen, it is preferably alkyl, optionally substituted by phenyl, or alkoxycarbonyl.
Many of the compounds of formula I are novel. Therefore according to a second aspect, the invention provides compounds of formula I where A1 is a 2-pyridyl group having substituents at the 3 and/or 5 position and no other position, R1 and R2 are hydrogen and A2 and L are as defined above.
The invention also includes any of the compounds specifically exemplified hereinafter.
Any alkyl group present in the molecule is preferably of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, especially of 1 to 7 carbon atoms, and particularly of 1 to 5 carbon atoms.
Any alkenyl or alkynyl group present in the molecule is preferably of 2 to 7 carbon atoms, for example allyl, vinyl or propargyl.
Any cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or cycloalkynyl group present in the molecule is preferably of 3 to 7 carbon atoms, especially cyclopropyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl or cyclohexenyl.
Substituents, when present on any alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl cycloalkynyl moiety may for example be halogen, cyano, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted alkylthio, mercapto, hydroxy, nitro, optionally substituted amino, acyl, acyloxy, acylthio, optionally substituted phenyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl. Optionally substituted phenylthio, optionally substituted phenoxy, optionally substituted heterocyclyloxy or optionally substituted heterocyclylthio.
Preferred substituents on any alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group are alkoxy, haloalkoxy or alkylthio, each containing 1 to 5 carbon atoms: halogen; or optionally substituted phenyl. An especially preferred group is trifluoromethyl.
Cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkynyl groups may also be substituted by optionally substituted alkyl, alkynyl or alkenyl and vice versa.
Substituents when present on any phenyl or heterocyclyl group are preferably as defined above for substituents on A2 
The term heterocyclyl includes both aromatic and non-aromatic heterocyclyl groups. Heterocyclyl groups are generally 5, 6 or 7-membered rings containing up to 4 hetero atoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur. Examples of heterocyclyl groups are furyl, thienyl, pyrrolyl, pyrrolinyl, pyrrolidinyl, imidazolyl, dioxolanyl, oxazolyl, thiazolyl, imidazolyl, imidazolinyl, imidazolidinyl, pyrazolyl, pyrazolinyl, pyrazolidinyl, isoxazolyl, isothiazolyl, oxadiazolyl, triazolyl, thiadiazolyl, pyranyl, pyridyl, piperidinyl, dioxanyl, morpholino, dithianyl, thiomorpholino, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, piperazinyl, triazinyl, thiazolinyl, benzimidazolyl, tetrazolyl, benzoxazolyl, imidazopyridinyl, 1,3-benzoxazinyl, 1,3-benzothiazinyl, oxazolopyridinyl, benzofuranyl, quinolinyl, quinazolinyl, quinoxalinyl, sulfolanyl, dihydroquinazolinyl, benzothiazolyl, phthalimido, benzofuranyl, azepinyl, oxazepinyl, thiazepinyl, diazepinyl and benzodiazepinyl.
Amino groups may be substituted for example by one or two E or acyl groups, each of which may be the same or different, or two substituents together with the nitrogen to which they are attached can form a ring, preferably a 5 to 7-membered ring, which may be substituted and may contain other heteroatoms, for example morpholine, thiomorpholine, or piperidine. This ring can be substituted as for A.
The term acyl includes the residue of sulfur and phosphorus-containing acids as well as carboxylic acids. Examples of acyl groups are thus xe2x80x94COR5a, xe2x80x94COOR5a, xe2x80x94CXNR5aR6a, xe2x80x94CON(R5a)OR6a, xe2x80x94COONR5aR6a, xe2x80x94CON(R5a)NR6aR7a, xe2x80x94COSR5a, xe2x80x94CSSR5a, xe2x80x94S(O)yR5a, xe2x80x94S(O)2OR5a, xe2x80x94S(O)yNR5aR6a, xe2x80x94P(xe2x95x90X)(OR5a)(OR6a), xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94COOR5a, where R5a, R6a and R7a, which may be the same or different, are hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkenyl, optionally substituted cycloalkynyl optionally substituted phenyl or optionally substituted heterocyclyl, or R5a and R6a, or R6a and R7a, together with the atom(s) to which they are attached can form a ring, y is 1 or 2 and X is O or S.
When substituted, substituents on the phenyl and alkyl groups are as defined above.
In preferred compounds of the invention
A1 is a mono- or disubstituted 2-pyridyl group, substituted by chlorine and/or trifluoromethyl at the 3 and/or 5 position, e.g. 2-(5-chloro-3-trifluoromethyl)pyridyl;
X is xe2x80x94C(xe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94; and
R1 is hydrogen or alkyl, e.g. methyl, and especially hydrogen; and
R2 is hydrogen, alkyl, (e.g. methyl), benzyl or alkoxycarbonyl, (e.g. ethoxycarbonyl) and especially hydrogen.
Particularly preferred substituents on the A2 phenyl are halogen.
The compounds of the invention have activity as fungicides, especially against fungal diseases of plants, e.g. mildews and particularly cereal powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis) and vine downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), rice blast (Pyricularia oryzae), cereal eyespot (Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides), rice sheath blight (Pellicularia sasakii), grey mould (Botrytis cinerea), damping off (Rhizoctonia solani), wheat brown rust (Puccinia recondita), late tomato or potato blight (Phytophthora infestans), apple scab (Venturia inaequalis), glume blotch (Leptosphaeria nodorum). Other fungi against which the compounds may be active include other powdery mildews, other rusts, and general pathogens of Deuteromycete, Ascomycete, Phycomycete and Basidiomycete origin.
The invention thus also provides a method of combating fungi at a locus infested or liable to be infested therewith, which comprises applying to the locus a compound of formula I.
The invention also provides an agricultural composition comprising a compound of formula I in admixture with an agriculturally acceptable diluent or carrier.
The composition of the invention may of course include more than one compound of the invention.
In addition the composition can comprise one or more additional active ingredients, for example compounds known to possess plant-growth regulant, herbicidal, fungicidal, insecticidal or acaricidal properties. Alternatively the compound of the invention can be used in sequence with the other active ingredient.
The diluent or carrier In the composition of the invention can be a solid or a liquid optionally in association with a surface-active agent, for example a dispersing agent, emulsifying agent or wetting agent. Suitable surface-active agents include anionic compounds such as a carboxylate, for example a metal carboxylate of a long chain fatty acid; an N-acylsarcosinate; mono- or di-esters of phosphoric acid with fatty alcohol ethoxylates or salts of such esters; fatty alcohol sulfates such as sodium dodecyl sulfate, sodium octadecyl sulfate or sodium cetyl sulfate; ethoxylated fatty alcohol sulfates; ethoxylated alkylphenol sulfates; lignin sulfonates; petroleum sulfonates; alkyl-aryl sulfonates such as alkyl-benzene sulfonates or lower alkylnaphthalene sulfonates, e.g. butyl-naphthalene sulfonate; salts of sulfonated naphthalene-formaldehyde condensates; salts of sulfonated phenol-formaldehyde condensates; or more complex sulfonates such as the amide sulfonates, e.g. the sulfonated condensation product of oleic acid and N-methyl taurine or the dialkyl sulfosuccinates, e.g. the sodium sulfonate of dioctyl succinate. Nonionic agents include condensation products of fatty acid esters, fatty alcohols, fatty acid amides or fatty-alkyl- or alkenyl-substituted phenols with ethylene oxide, fatty esters of polyhydric alcohol ethers, e.g. sorbitan fatty acid esters, condensation products of such esters with ethylene oxide, e.g. polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, acetylenic glycols such as 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyne-4,7-diol, or ethoxylated acetylenic glycols.
Examples of a cationic surface-active agent include, for instance, an anphatic mono-, di-, or polyamine as an acetate, naphthenate or oleate; an oxygen-containing amine such as an amine oxide or polyoxyethylene alkylamine; an amide-linked amine prepared by the condensation of a carboxylic acid with a di- or polyamine; or a quaternary ammonium salt.
The compositions of the invention can take any form known in the art for the formulation of agrochemicals, for example, a solution, a dispersion, an aqueous emulsion, a dusting powder, a seed dressing, a fumigant, a smoke, a dispersible powder, an emulsifiable concentrate or granules. Moreover it can be in a suitable form for direct application or as a concentrate or primary composition which requires dilution with a suitable quantity of water or other diluent before application.
An emulsifiable concentrate comprises a compound of the invention dissolved in a water-immiscible solvent which is formed into an emulsion with water in the presence of an emulsifying agent.
A dusting powder comprises a compound of the invention intimately mixed and ground with a solid pulverulent diluent, for example, kaolin.
A granular solid comprises a compound of the invention associated with similar diluents to those which may be employed in dusting powders, but the mixture is granulated by known methods. Alternatively it comprises the active ingredient absorbed or adsorbed on a pre-granular diluent, for example, Fuller""s earth, attapulgite or limestone grit.
Wettable powders, granules or grains usually comprise the active ingredient in admixture with a suitable surfactant and an inert powder diluent such as china clay.
Another suitable concentrate is a flowable suspension concentrate which is formed by grinding the compound with water or other liquid, a wetting agent and a suspending agent.
The concentration of the active ingredient in the composition of the present invention, as applied to plants is preferably within the range of 0.0001 to 1.0 per cent by weight, especially 0.0001 to 0.01 percent by weight. In a primary composition, the amount of active ingredient can vary widely and can be, for example, from 5 to 95 percent by weight of the composition.
In the method of the invention the compound is generally applied to seeds, plants or their habitat. Thus, the compound can be applied directly to the soil before, at or after drilling so that the presence of active compound in the soil can control the growth of fungi which may attack seeds. When the soil is treated directly the active compound can be applied in any manner which allows it to be intimately mixed with the soil such as by spraying, by broadcasting a solid form of granules, or by applying the active ingredient at the same time as drilling by inserting it in the same drill as the seeds. A suitable application rate is within the range of from 5 to 1000 g per hectare, more preferably from 10 to 500 g per hectare.
Alternatively the active compound can be applied directly to the plant by, for example, spraying or dusting either at the time when the fungus has begun to appear on the plant or before the appearance of fungus as a protective measure. In both such cases the preferred mode of application is by foliar spraying. It is generally important to obtain good control of fungi in the early stages of plant growth as this is the time when the plant can be most severely damaged. The spray or dust can conveniently contain a pre- or post-emergence herbicide if this is thought necessary. Sometimes, it is practicable to treat the roots of a plant before or during planting, for example, by dipping the roots in a suitable liquid or solid composition. When the active compound is applied directly to the plant a suitable rate of application is from 0.025 to 5 kg per hectare, preferably from 0.05 to 1 kg per hectare.
In addition, the compounds of the invention can be applied to plants or parts thereof which have been genetically modified to exhibit a trait such as fungal, insect, and/or herbicidal resistance.
The compounds of formula I may be obtained by reacting a compound of formula II, or its hydrochloride salt, with a compound of formula III according to Scheme 1, where X is a leaving group such as halogen. When L is xe2x80x94(Cxe2x95x90O)xe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94SO2xe2x80x94, preferred reaction conditions comprise mixing II with the corresponding benzoyl or sulfonyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine. 
Compounds of formula I where R2 is optionally substituted alkyl can be prepared by alkylating, in known manner, compounds of formula I where R2 is hydrogen.
Compounds of formula III are known or can be obtained in known manner.
Certain compounds of intermediate formula ha below, are known, i.e. compounds of general formula II where R1 and R2 are hydrogen. However the art contains no high-yielding, preparative method for compounds of formula IIa. We have now developed such a method.
Therefore, according to a third aspect, the invention provides a process for preparing compounds of formula IIa comprising the steps of:
a) reacting under basic conditions, compounds of formula IV, with compounds of formula V to give intermediates of formula VI, 
b) converting intermediates of formula VI to intermediates of formula VII, 
c) converting intermediates of formula VII to compounds of formula IIa, 
wherein
Ra and Rb, which may be the same or different, are alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, heterocyclyl or phenyl, each of which may be substituted (preferably optionally substituted phenyl) or hydrogen;
E1 is both an electron withdrawing group and a group which may be replaced by hydrogen using methodology known to the skilled chemist in accordance with step c) (preferably a carboxy group or a carboxy ester group);
X1 is a leaving group (preferably halogen); and
A1 and R1 are as defined above for the first aspect of the invention.
Preferred basic conditions for step a) comprise reaction with an alkali metal hydride, alkoxide or carbonate.
Preferred, reaction conditions for step b) comprises treatment with dilute acid, particularly dilute hydrochloric acid.
When E1 is a carboxy group or carboxy ester group, suitable reaction conditions for decarboxylation [step c)] will be known to the skilled chemist. Preferred decarboxylation conditions comprise heating VII with dilute aqueous hydrochloric acid.
Compounds of formula IV are known or can be prepared in known manner, Intermediates VI and VII may be isolated. Alternatively they may be generated in situ and the subsequent reaction step performed without isolation or purification. It is preferred that intermediate VI is generated in situ, whereas it is preferred that intermediate VII is isolated.
Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word xe2x80x9ccomprisexe2x80x9d, or variations such as xe2x80x9ccomprisesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccomprisingxe2x80x9d, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers, including method steps.
The hydrochloride salt of compounds of formula IIb, i.e. compounds of general formula II where R1 is optionally substituted alkyl and R2 is hydrogen, may be prepared according to reaction Scheme 2. X2 is a leaving group such as bromine and the base is preferably potassium tert-butoxide. Preferred reaction conditions for conversion to the hydrochloride salt of IIb is treatment with dilute hydrochloric acid. 
Many of the compounds of formula IIb and their hydrochloride salts are novel. Therefore, according to a fourth aspect the invention provides a compound of formula IIb, and salts thereof, 
wherein A1 is as defined above and R1 is optionally substituted alkyl.
The 2-pyridyl group (A1) can have up to four substituents, preferably up to two, which may be the same or different to each other. Preferably, the substituents are on the 3 and/or 5 position of the 2-pyridyl group.
When substituted, preferred substituents on the 2-pyridyl group (A1) in formula IIb are halogen, hydroxy, cyano, nitro, SF5, trialkylsilyl, optionally substituted amino, acyl, or a group E, OE or SE, where E is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, phenyl or heterocyclyl, each of which is optionally substituted, or a group xe2x80x94C(E)xe2x95x90N-Q, where Q is E, OE, SE or optionally substituted amino; or two adjacent substituents together with the atoms to which they are attached form an optionally substituted ring which can contain up to 3 hetero atoms. Especially preferred substituents are alkoxy, alkyl, halogen, nitro and trifluoromethyl, particularly chlorine and trifluoromethyl.
Preferably, A1 is a mono- or di-substituted 2-pyridyl group, substituted by chlorine and/or trifluoromethyl.
The invention is illustrated in the following Examples. Structures of isolated novel compounds were confirmed by NMR and/or other appropriate analyses.